Filling-replenishing loom.



PATENTBD DEG. l, 1903..

E. s; Woon. FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APYLIGATON FILED `SEPT. 1Q, 1903.

t 2 SHEETS-SHEET l` NU MODEL.

PATLNTLD DLG. 1, 1903.

L. s. Woon. FILLING RBPLLNISHING LOOM.

APPLIGATION EILED SEPT. 19, 1903.

2 SHEETSLSHLET 2.

N O MODEL.

tio. "745,408.

UNITED STATES fatented December i, ISGS.

PATENT Errori..V

EVERETT S. WOOD, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERl COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FILLING-REPLENISHING LOOM.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,408, dated December 1, 1903.

Application led September 19, 1903. Serial No. 173.81l. (No model.) y

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EvERETT S. Woon, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of I-Iopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Filling Replenishing Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates more particularly to looms the operation whereof is controlled by or through a feeler in accordance with the condition of the tillingin the shuttle, achange in the operation of the loom, such asa replenishment of filling orstoppage of the loom, being effected automatically upon substantial exhaustion of the lling' in the running or working shuttle. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the feeler intermittingly engages and is moved or vibrated by the filling in the shuttle on alternate beats of the lay, the filling-induced movement of the feeler gradually decreasing in amplitude as the lling weaves oit until only so much remains in the shuttle as will cross the lay a few times. When this point of substantial exhaustion ofthe tillin gis reached, a stoppage of the loom or a replenishment of the filling is effected by suitable means, the feeler at such time having no filling -induced movement at all or so slight a movement as will serve to eiect the desired change in the operation of the loom. operation of the loom are normally quiescent; but at the proper time the operation of such means is effected by an actuator, usually the weft-hammer 0r a similar device, which actuator engages a latch, and through such cooperation of actuator and latch the change in the operation of the loom is effected. So long as the lling-induced movement of the feeler continues the latch is maintained inoperative; but when the iilling-induced movement of the feeler ceases or is reduced to a minimum the latch is rendered operativeand cooperation with the actuator follows.

In the practical embodiment of my present vinvention herein illustrated the latch is maintained in its operative position by adog,

and through a suitable connection betweenV The means which control the the latter and the feelcr the dog i's withdrawn and permitsthe latch to move into inoperative position at each filling-induced movement of the feeler. When substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle is attained, the movement of the feeler is insufflcient to withdraw the dog from the latch, and the latter is thereby held in its operative position. ln a rapidly-running loom there is 6o of course very considerable vibration, and in actual practice it sometimes happens that such vibration or shaking of the various parts of the loom will Withdraw the dog from the latch, so that the latter becomes inoperative at a time when substantial exhaustion of shuttle-filling has been attained andthe latch should be maintained in its operative position. So, too, it sometimes will happen that on the forward beat of the lay on a de- 7o tecting-pick the momentum of the moving parts will tend to act upon and improperly move the feeler to retract the dog when the latter should remain in position to hold the latch operative.

My present invention has for its object the production of simple and eifective means to prevent improper movement of the feeler when the shuttle-filling is substantially exhausted, to therebyinsure the operation of 8o the controlling means for the loom at such time.

l have herein shown my invention as applied to afeeler-loom provided with automatic lling-replenishing mechanism and which forms the subject-matter ofUnited States Patent No. 725,229, dated April 14, 1903, the feeler being so mounted that it is properly positioned for its feeling action on the forward beat of the lay.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined speciiication and particularly p ointed out in the following claims.

Figure l lis a top or plan view of a portion of the left-hand side of a loom with the lay back and with one embodiment of my present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a lefthand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig.

l, the means for preventing improper moveroo ment ofthe feeler being shown in normal condition when the lay is back. Fig. 3 is a much` enlarged detail of the locking means to be described in the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar View, also enlarged, but showing the manner in which the locking device operates when substantial exhaustion of the lling in the shuttle is attained; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the latch and its actuator on the line 7 7, Fig. l, looking toward the right.

The breast-beam A40, lay A3, having a shuttie-box B thereon, (see Fig. 1,) the adjustable front wall bx of the shuttle-box having an aperture 3 therein for the reception of the feeler, the stand A7, Fig. 2, on which is mounted the lling feeder or hopper, the notched holdingplateNfor the shipper NX, the automaticallyself-threading shuttle S, adapted to contain a supply of filling, such as a filling carrier or bobbin b, Fig. l, and the hole 4 in the front wall of the shuttle-box are all of well-known construction and substantially as in the patent referred to.

The filling-replenishing mechanism is of the Northrop type and practically such as shown in United States Patent No. 648,986, a rockshaft d controlling the operation of the loom, as, for instance, to effect a change of filling, the rock-shaft having secured to it an upturned arm d2, with a pivotally-connected latch d6, the latch extending across and beyond the breast-beam and having a reduced end d7, Figs. l, 2, and 5, and a beveled or cam face dlson its under edge, as shown in Fig. 5.

The notched bunter wx on the head of the weft hammer or actuator W to at times engage the end all of the latch and move it outwardly to rock the arm d2 and turn the :rockshaft d in the direction of the arrow 2l, the projection w on the head of the actuator traveling beneath the end d7of the latch and at times cooperating with the cam-face d, are all as in Patent No. 725,229, and so, too, are the lateral enlargement CZS on the latch and the notched block dg, adjustably mounted on the under side thereof to be engaged bya dog, to be hereinafter referred to, to hold the latch lifted with its end d7 in the path of the bunter wx as the weft-hammer moves forward. When the dog is Withdrawn by or through fillinginduced movement of the feeler, the latch drops, so that its end C17 is below the bunter, the latch then being inoperative, andthe projection w has passed from beneath the part d7 before the bunter has moved forward sufficiently to engage it. When the weft-hammer swings back, the projection w cooperates with the cam-face (118 and lifts the lat-ch,.so that the dog can pass beneath the block dg, as before.

The bracket N2, bolted to the holding-plate N, sustains a stand cx, on which the lateral swinging feeler-supportis mounted, the stand being herein shown as in Patent No. 725,229 and provided with parallel rearwardly-extended ears cs, constituting a guide and support for the outer free end of the feeler-support, the latter comprising a body portion f', hav-` .having an elongated feeling-face fx, as inthe patent referred to, the feeler passing through the opening 3 of the front shuttle-box wall 13X when the lay beats up, and when the shuttle is boxed the feeler enters the shuttle through the hole 4 to engage the filling. The thickened portion 62X of the base of the boxwall bx engages the outer end of the feelerguide below the feeler when the lay beats up and swings the feeler-support outward on its fulcrum]3 against the action of the spring S10, so that the feeler-,guidewill always maintain a certain fixed position relative to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle when the lay is on front center, and the feeler will be properly positioned for feeling action whenever the shuttle is in the box BX.

The dog, hereinbefore referred to, is shown as a plate d, preferably of' hardened steel, mounted on the end of a carrier (shown as an arm du) fulcl'umed at g2 on the feeler-support, the inner end of the dog-carrier overhanging the fulcrum f3 of the feeler-support, while the dog swings on the face 30 of a part of the guide for the filling-fork slide m'. The outer end of the carrier is loosely and pivotally connected with the feeler by a linger C143, as in Patent No. 725,229. As the innerleverarm of the dog carrier is the longer, the movement of the dog is greater than the stroke of the feeler, filling-induced movement of the latter being resisted by the spring S20, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the spring tending to maintain the dog in engagement with the notched This spring edects the return movement of the feeler and brings the dog back to cooperate with the latch in wellknown manner, and it will be obvious that when filling-induced movement of the feeler is too slight to withdraw the dog the latch will be engaged by its actuator and moved to eect a change in the operation of the loom. If at such time the vibration of the loom or any other cause should rock the dog-carrier, it would tend to withdraw the dog and release the latch, so that it could not coperate with the actuator. To prevent this improper retraction of the dog, I have in the present embodiment of my invention mounted a locking-finger 7o on a suitable stud 75X on the outer end of the feeler-guide g,as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper and forward end of the finger having a notch or shoulder Zd, while at its lower end adjacent its fulcrum the finger is provided with an yeccentric projection or lug k2, which projects lUu IIO

rearwardly slightly beyond the rear face of the feeler-guide when the finger is in inoperative position. (Shown in Fig. 3.) A stop pin or lug k3, projecting from the inner face of the finger, at such time rests on the top of the adjacent guide-rib g3 and limits downward movement of the finger.

The dog-carrier d has secured toits outer end an upwardly-yielding or resilient plate or catch t, secured to the arm in a suitable manner, as by screws 35, Fig. 1, and shaped to clear the pivot connection d between the carrier and the feeler, the outer end of the catch t projecting across the vertical path of movement of the locking-finger k. When the lay beats up, the feeler will engage the lling in theshuttle, and the forward movement of the feeler will swing the outer'end of the dog-carrier toward the front of the loom. before some part of the lay-as, for instance,

the face or iiange of the frontlooX-wall19K-canl exhausted, as is shown in Fig. 4:, the projection k2 of the locking-linger will be engaged and said finger will be moved into its operative position With its shoulder k' in front of the front edge of the catch t, and thereby the dog-carrier and the feeler will be locked from `movement relative to the feeler-support.

Should the feeler then have any movement, due to vibration of the loom or otherwise, the dog-carrier would not move or swing on its fulcrum g2, but all o'f the parts would have a swinging movement on the fulcrum f3 of the feeler-support, and such fulcrum is so closely adjacent to the dog that a very considerabler movement of the feeler or of the outer end of the dog-carrier might take place Without moving the dog enough to lretract it from the block dfon the latch. Consequently the latch is maintained in its operative position to coperate with the actuator, and the change in the operation of the loom will be effected by the controlling means at the proper time. The forward movement of the actuator W takes place before the backward stroke of theV lay can release the locking-iinger, and thereby permit disengagement of said linger and catch t, so that when the looking device is in its operative condition the actuator is timed to coperate with the latch.

It will he obvious that if the operation'of the loom is not changed at the time it should be changed objectionable results may follow, as a delay in the operation of the filling-replenishing mechanism, for instance, would tend to permit the filling to run out before the insertion of the fresh supply, thereby doing away with the very object of the feeler device-viz. to change filling before complete exhaustion of the supply in the running cr Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of lling, means to control the operation of the loom, including a feeler to in termittingly engage and be moved by the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion thereof,

-cessation of filling-induced movement of the feeler acting therethrough to renderl said means operative, and automatically-operating means to prevent improper movement of the feeler when the shuttle-fillingis substantially exhausted.

2. In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply.

of filling, means to control the operation-of the loom, including a feeler to intermittingly engage and be moved by the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion thereof, cessation of filling-induced movement of the feeler acting therethrough to render said means operative, a movable feeler-snpport to properly position the feeler for its feeling stroke, and means acting automatically upon substantial exhaustion of the filling to prevent movement of the feeler relatively to its support and thereby insure the operation of the controlling means.

3. In' a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of iilling, means, including a feeler, to control the operation of the loom, substantial eX- haustion of the filling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to render said means operative, a feeler-support moved independently of the shuttle, to properly position the feeler for its feeling action, and means acting automatically upon such substantial lling eX- haustion to lock the feeler from improper movement until operation of the controlling means has been instituted.

4. In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of filling, means, including a feeler, to control the operation of the loom, substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to render said means operatve, and means operated by or through the lay to prevent improper movement of the feeler when the shuttle-filling is substantially exhausted and insure the operation of the controlling means.

5. In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of filling, means, including a feeler, to control the operation of the loom, substantial ex1 IOO IIO

haustion of the lling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to render said means operative, a feeler-support moved by a part of the lay on each pick, to properly position the feeler for its feeling action, and means rendered operative by or through the lay upon substantial exhaustion of the shuttle-filling to insure the operation of the controlling means at such time.

6. In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of filling, means, including a feeler, to control the operation of the loom, substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to render said means operative, a feeler-support moved independently of the shuttle on each forward beat of the lay, to properly position the feeler for its feeling action, and means automatically operative upon substantial exhaustion of the shuttle-filling to lock the feeler from movement relative to its support, to thereby'insure the operation of the controlling means.

7. In a loom, means to control its operation, the lay, a shuttle adapted to contain a supply of filling, an actuator for said means, the latter including a feeler, a latch maintained inoperative by the presence and rendered operative by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, acting by or through the feeler, said actuator cooperating with the latch when operative to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and means operating automatically on the forward beat of the lay vand acting through the feeler, to insure cooperation of the latch and actuator upon substantial exhaustion of the iilling.

8. In a loom, means to control its operation, the lay, a shuttle adapted to contain a supply of filling, an actuator for said means, the latter includinga feeler, a latch maintained inoperative by the presence and rendered operative by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, acting by or through the feeler, said actuator coperating with the latch when operative to effect a change in theoperation of the loom, a feeler-support to properly position the feeler for feeling action, and means mounted on the feeler-support and actuated by a part of the lay upon substantial exhaustion of the filling to lock the feeler from improper movement and thereby insure coperation of the latch and actuator.

9. Inaloom, means,including a feeler to intermittingly engage the filling in the shuttle, to control the operation of the loom, an actuator for said means, a latch, a coperating dog govern ed by or through the feeler to maintain the latch inoperative bythe presence and render it operative by the substantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle, the actuator cooperating With the latch when operative to effect a change in the operation of the loom, and means operative upon substantial exhaustion of the shuttle-filling to insure retention of thelatch in operative condition by said dog until the operation of the controlling means has beeninstituted.

10. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle-box thereon, means, including a feeler, to control the operation of the loom, substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to effect the actuation of said means, a device moved by engagement with the Wall of the shuttle-box on the forward beat of the lay, to properly position the feeler for its feeling action, and au independently-actuated device to act through the feeler and insure the operation of the controlling means upon substantial exhaustion of the shuttle-filling.

1l. In a loom provided with filling-replenishing mechanism, a lay having a shuttle-box thereon, a shuttle to contain a supply of lling, means to control the operation of said mechanism andincludingafeeler, and a movable feeler-support upon which the feeler is yieldingly sustained, the front Wall of the shuttle-box moving the feeler-support on the forward beat of the lay to present the feeler properly to intermittingly engage and feel the filling in the shuttle, and a device to prevent movement of the feeler on its support When thelling in the shuttle is substantially exhausted,to thereby insure the operation ofthe controlling means.

l2. In a loom, tilling-replenishing mechanism, means to control its operation, including a feeler to intermittingly engage the filling in the shuttle and be moved thereby until substantial exhaustion of such lling, an actuator for said means, a latch, a dog, connections between it and the feeler to prevent cooperation of the actuator and latch until substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle, and a locking device automatically operative at such time to engage said connections and cause the dog to positively maintain the latch in position to coperate with the actuator.

13. In a loom, filling-replenishing mechanism, means to control its operation, including a feeler to intermittingly engage the filling in the shuttle and be moved thereby until substantial exhaustion of such lling, an actuator for said means, a latch, a dog, a carrier therefor operatively connected with the feeler, to prevent cooperation of the actuator and latch until substantial exhaustion of the tilling in the shuttle, a support on which the carrier is lnovably mounted, and a locking device on said support and moved automatically into position to engage the carrier upon substantial exhaustion of the filling and cause the dog to positively maintain the latch in position to coperate With the actuator.

l-t. In a loorn, a lay having a shuttle-box thereon, means to control the operation of the loom, and an actuator for said means, the latter including a feeler to intermittingly engage and be moved by the lling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion of such filling, a latch, a dog to maintain it operative, a swinging carrier for the dog, operatively connected with the feeler, a movable feeler-support on which the carrier is fulcrumed, the

IOO

IIO

tss

loom, and a locking-iinger moved by engagement with a part of the lay into position to engage and hold the carrier from movement upon substantial exhaustion of the lling, to

insure retention of the latch in operative po sition by said dog.

l5. In a loom, a lay, means to control the operation of the loom, andan actuator for said means, the latter including a feeler to intermittingly engage and be moved by the filling in the shuttle until substantial exhaustion thereof, a latch, a dog to maintain it operative, a sWin ging carrier for the dog, opera tively connected with the feeler, a yielding catch mounted on the carrier, and a lockingnger to at times cooperate with said catch and hold the carrier from movement, iillinginduced movement of the feeler swinging the carrier to Withdraw the dog and rendery the latch inoperative, the lay then acting to lift the locking-finger against the under side ot' the catch, substantial exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle permitting the dog to retain the latch in position to be engaged bythe actuator, and eect the operation of the controlling means for the loom, the lay at such .time moving the locking-finger into position to engage the edge of the catch land prevent movement of the carrier tending to withdraw the dog from the latch. Y

16.' In a loom, a shuttle to contain a supply of filling, means, including a feeler, a latch governed thereby, and an actuator, to control the operation of the loom, substantial eX- haustion of the lling in the shuttle acting through the feeler to cause coperation of the latch and actuator and thereby render said means operative, and a normally inoperative device to automatically and positively insure cooperation of the latch and actuator when substantial exhaustion of the lling in the shuttle has been detected by said feeler.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

p EVERETT S. WOOD.

VVtnesses: Geenen: O'rIs DRAPER, ERNEST W. Woon'. 

